The only thing that stops the dust is the rain. It’s a sweet reprieve, but there is no middle ground. The land is either as dry as the Betty Ford clinic, or as wet as the ocean floor. Everything can be seen from the ridge overlooking Armadillo as John Marston gently bounces along atop...

Planetside Screenshots

Massively multiplayer gaming takes on a new face in PlanetSide, where
thousands of players wage war in a battle of planetary proportions.
A newly designed 3D engine drives PlanetSide's first-person player-to-player
combat and vehicular warfare across extraordinary worlds. The stage
has been set, the battle lines have drawn, and military dropships are
ready to deploy. Featuring seamless worlds on a massive scale, PlanetSide
allows for character development and advancement through ranks. The
massive continents of PlanetSide vary from arctic wastelands to scorching
deserts with breathtaking visual splendor. Players work to capture various
technological bases using both soldier-to-soldier and vehicle-based
combat to eventually influence the control of the continent toward their
chosen empire. Gamers will be able to choose an empire to align with
and live in a persistent world in which previous actions and campaigns
will have dramatic effects on future conditions. Stealth, espionage,
teamplay and rogue tactics play a huge role in the ever-evolving world
of PlanetSide.

Features

Combines frenzied combat with tactics as players join teams to control
territories. An arsenal of equipment is available to use.

As with our other premium games, you will be able to purchase the
game at retail and then sign up at The Station to play. A monthly
fee will be required to play online with thousands of other gamers.
The exact price has yet to be determined.

Character advancement will provide players the opportunity to tailor
their online persona with skills and abilities. Although the game
will focus on the action elements of first-person shooter style gaming,
players will find ample room for role-playing within the framework
of a planetary war.

Each server will hold approximately 3500 players.

The balance of power between the opposing empires will constantly
shift depending on the actions of players. Since everything happens
in real-time, players will find worlds changing continuously as battles
are fought. Players may also advance their characters through rank
and other means. As skill sets are learned, the player will see permanent
increases in certain abilities. Similar to role playing games, PlanetSide
will allow the player to customize their characters as they see fit,
allowing for infinite re-playability.

The implants are permanent additions to your character. A certain
number of implants can be stored on an individual. These implants
can be swapped out at implant centers when preparing for a mission.
The implant centers act like a "bank."

These implants offer enhancements and benefits that can be used
in the field. They can be combat intensive abilities or abilities
that may help in the art of espionage.

There will be an ability tree will determine a player's progression
in this area of character development. Rather than having a percentile
score for abilities (i.e. proficiency), abilities will tree out in
having stages of development (Healing I, Healing II, Healing III)
will be more stand-alone.

Approximately 70 base abilities have been specified, however, the
final number is subject to change. Progressive stages of ability are
not counted in this number.

When a new rank is achieved, the player will be given the opportunity
to increase implants at a facility within their empire.

All players will have their own apartment in the game. The apartment
serves as a place of safety and may also be used for storage purposes.

Player controlled vehicles will be available in PlanetSide. The
emphasis will be on land vehicles and the ability to travel by air.

Certain vehicles will have multiple player slots. But, only one
player can drive at a time. In some cases, players can choose to operate
gunnery positions.

The game's setting takes place on a single world that is divided
into approximately 13 continents (each measuring up to 64 square kilometers).
In addition to this landmass, there are expansive interiors found
inside facilities and bases which adds to the overall real estate.

Our goal is to create a weather system in PlanetSide that actually
affects gameplay and strategy. A heavy rainstorm will reduce visibility
and possibly affect vehicle traction while an electrical storm may
interfere with or even damage electronic equipment.

The PlanetSide team has created a new scalable 3D engine specifically
for the game. PlanetSide's engine will feature completely seamless
gameplay across each continent, with no load times or interruptions
while running across the vast terrain or entering/exiting facilities.
Gameplay will run at 60 frames per second on most systems.

Release Date: Summer 2002

Content on this page comes directly from press releases and fact sheets provided by publishers and developers and was not written by the Game Revolution staff.